The Beast
by Crims0nfire
Summary: A tale foretold of a beast who resided in the heart of a vast forest and killed all who trespassed for his amusement. Yet when a certain young girl trespasses in his lands, he finds no fear in her, and the two form a bond. But she was taken from him. Years pass. When she returns she doesn't remember him. Enraged, he keeps her in his castle, and this time she will never leave him.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay guys. This is the new version of 'The Beast'. This chapter didn't change much but hey! I hope you still enjoy it.**

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**-Crims0nfire.**

**Legend of the Beast**

He liked killing, reveled in it actually. Their screams of pain and pleads to end his torture excited him. He did not know any other emotion, any other desire or lust, other than to inflict pain. It was in the very core of his dark and evil being.

He was the beast after all. The creature feared by all that killed any that had the unfortunate fate to trespass his lands. They called him beast, monster, or devil, simply because it was what he was: A killer.

Men and women told stories of him to their children in hopes of frightening them into obedience. Travellers and merchants, even the King's men who were told to be the bravest men in the Kingdom chose to take the ten-day path around the forest instead of the one-day travel through to avoid _The Forest of the Beast. _Those who ignored the signs, legend, even their own fear and traveled through the forest…never had a chance to atone for their mistake. All victims met the same fate for the same reason: to take part of the riches and treasures told to reside in the home of the beast. Their greed consumed them and eventually, so did the beast. They would beg and promise never to return. Oh, how they begged! But every time, their pleas for their life, which they suddenly valued more than the wealth, fell on deaf ears.

And he absolutely loved it. He was created to kill, to feed on fear and he carried that purpose to the utmost extent.

According to legends, he lived in an abandoned castle; it was believed he had killed the previous residents. As dark and brooding as the night's sky, the castle stood in the heart of the forest. It rose to stand taller than the tallest tree and wider than a village. He alone resided in it.

However, the beast himself was a sight to behold. His mere stature could make any king tremble with fear and helplessness. His hair seemed to be made by the very light of the moon. But his eyes…they were his greatest weapons.

He possessed the skill to destroy one's mind simply by looking into their eyes, into their soul. He searched for their inner fears and forced it into their mind in cruel magnitudes. The twin orbs possessed the color of the shining sun but reflected such malice and dark intent that it was almost impossible to comprehend how they could retain the color that usually brought forth happiness.

The pure satisfaction he received when he watched his victims crumbled at the force of their fears made him sadistic and immune to foolish emotions such as guilt or regret. To watch their eyes drain of life and sanity, that was the only thing he enjoyed.

They would scream '_beast!' _as they died and condemn his soul to hell, it was a shame he didn't have one.

But he did have a name. Though long forgotten, it was his first name.

He was called _The Killing Perfection_ or in one word:

_**Sesshomaru.**_

**Hope you liked it! I'm just getting warmed up! Review!**

**-Crims0nfire.**


	2. Chapter 2: Strange Child

**Hey Guys! So this is where you really have to pay attention because this is where I made the most changes in the story. **

**-crims0nfire**

**.0.**

Sesshomaru glanced unimpressed at the woman beneath him. She was a disgusting sight. Her once blonde hair lay sprawled out around her and drenched with her own blood. Deep gashes made by claws covered her exposed chest. Saliva trickled from the corner of her agape mouth before mixing with the crimson blood that pooled around her. Her blank, faded white eyes stared ahead at the dark wall of her dungeon cell.

She was his latest kill: a young, curious girl who had wandered into his forest a few days ago looking for fruits and berries to feed her family.

He took his time with her. Slowly and painfully driving her into insanity. The number of victims he once received had decreased and it would be quite sometime before he got another.

She had whined, cried, and pleaded. Sesshomaru's lip curled in a sneer when he thought about how the bitch even went as far as to offer the life of her family in exchange for her freedom.

A deep rumble erupted from his chest. It was laughter. He laughed, the sound both terrifying and hypnotizing. He found it quite funny that the girl, who looked so innocent, so harmless, was willing to have her family—the same one she ventured in the forest to feed—killed in cold blood to save her own worthless life. She deserved to die. When he only replied to her offer with a claw in her heart, her last resort had been to offer her body and she bared her chest to his uninterested gaze.

'_Did she honestly believe that she had anything to offer me other than her death?' _He scowled darkly. He was no stranger to the pleasures of the body. In fact, his favorite way to torture women was to defile them. When they started to enjoy it, he killed them.

He reached down to clutch the women's hair, the movement causing his untamed hair to touch the blood. The crimson liquid decorated his hands, chest, and parts of his emotionless face.

By her hair, he dragged her lifeless body out of the dark cell and down the hallway. The scratching noise her body made on the hard gravel of the ground echoed through the entire dungeon. He dragged her up the eroding steps. Her blood left a trail behind him. If it wasn't for how freshly drawn the blood was, one would find it hardly noticeable considering how much dried blood had already caked the floor.

Once he reached the top of the stairs, he walked down another hallway. At the end of it stood double metal doors, heavily bolted. Taking down the locks, he stepped inside and growled at the stench.

Dead, rotting bodies littered the floor. At some point, he got creative and hung victims on the ceiling by their own entrails. Their soulless eyes stared at him as if trying to haunt him with their deaths. With a fling or his powerful arm, the dead woman's body sailed across the room and crashed into a pile of other dead victims'.

Sesshomaru admired his work before closing the door with a screeching _'wham' _and bolting it once again. His golden eyes pierced the dark hallway, gleaming with satisfaction as he walked to his chambers.

He walked down multiple hallways, none of which had any ray of light. Useless paintings and portraits decorated the hallway as he passed by the many closed doors of unused rooms. He walked into his chambers. The room was of a large size. Like his halls, no light was allowed into it. Red curtains—permanently shut—covered a large window. A large bed was placed at the corner of the room and he grinned darkly. How many women had he defiled on that very bed? Countless. And none of them were able to sedate his hunger.

A broken mirror stood at the opposite corner and a few of its shards littered the floor surrounding it. An unused desk sat at the right of the mirror.

The boards of the floor creaked from his large, muscled weight as he walked to the broken mirror.

His reflection stared back at him, angled upwards from the position of the mirror. He did not register the pain of the glass shards as they pierced his bare feet. The lack of light did nothing to hinder his inhumane vision. He peered at the distorted sight of the blood smeared on his chest and face and decides he was in need of a bath.

**.0.**

He walked out of the room and out of his fortress. He noted the lack of sunlight and the luminescent presence of the moon. His eyes swept through the land in front of him.

Nothing.

Not even the smallest of creatures crept in the darkness. He walked silently in the woods and reached a small spring. Crisp water reflected the wavering moon and the steady flow of the water calmed him.

He stepped out of his pants and dipped half of his body into the freezing water. Almost like a cloud of smoke, the blood left his body and flowed into the water. It seemed to be drawn to the distorted image of the moon that decorated the surface of the water. Sesshomaru stared emotionlessly at it. Nothing in this world was pure. And even if it were, it would always become tainted, much like the now red reflection of the moon.

He stared, animalistic eyes glowing in the dead of night. It wasn't until some distance away, something caught his attention. Tiny, almost silent footsteps. They were neither strong enough to belong to a deer not soft enough to belong to a rabbit.

Human. It was a human.

A slow sadistic smile spread across his face. His large canines glistened from the moonlight. He rose from the lake slowly, nakedness forgotten. His golden eyes bled and soon they resembled the crimson reflection of the moon.

He leapt through the trees on silent feet until he reached the source of the footsteps. He was close to the dirt road he knew was a path humans were accustomed to taking when he heard the voice of a child, singing.

_ Kagome Kagome_

_The bird in the Cage_

_When, when will it come out?_

_In the dark time before daybreak._

_A crane and a tortoise slipped down._

_Who is right behind my back?_

Perched in a tree, Sesshomaru noticed a small yellow glow emitting along the road. A few seconds later, a small child came into view, carrying trapped fire flies in a glass jar. She looked as if she was no older than seven years old. He had killed plenty children, all filled with greed and darkness. But somehow, this one was different. It unnerved Sesshomaru.

She was only a small slip of a girl. Coiled raven hair framed a porcelain face in multiple layers. Peasant garbs decorated her small body but she smiled as if she were a noble's daughter. But what really caught Sesshomaru's attention were her eyes. They were a startling blue, almost crystal. And they sparkled as if all was right with the world.

She continued singing and walked with a small bounce in her step until she reached a tall tree. She sat with her legs crossed and set the makeshift lamp by her side.

From atop the trees, concealed by thick leaves and branches, golden eyes peered down at the oblivious, young girl as she reached into the pocket of her skirt and pulled out a book, one much too big for a girl her age to be reading.

Sesshomaru watched the way she caressed the worn out, leather cover of the book just as though it was her most prized possession. He watched as she opened the book and began reading. He watched as she threw her head back and laughed whenever she reached a certain point in the book or read a certain line. The sound of her laughter seemed to brighten the whole forest. It was so full of joy and happiness and was so…pure…

…Sesshomaru hated it.

It wasn't long— surprisingly—'till the child finished the book and closed it with a content smile on her face. She placed the book back inside the pocket of her skirt, stood, and patted her clothes.

"Mama's going to kill me for getting these clothes dirty." She mumbled under her breath. She bent down to pick the glowing jar and held it in front of her. She looked around the forest, trying to figure out how to get back home. It was already quite dark.

Her head turned back and forth until her blue eyes spotted glowing, golden eyes in the trees.

Sesshomaru peered into her eyes. He saw curiosity, confusion, worry…but no fear. Not a single shred of fear lay in her eyes! His lips curled back in a snarl, deeming such impossibility as some kind of deception.

"Come on out." he heard her say, "I won't hurt you." She gave a small reassuring smile that made Seeshomaru's eyes narrow.

"My name is Kagome. What's yours?" Sesshomaru growled fiercely, but still, not a single flicker or fear passed through her eyes.

Kagome smacked her forehead and she rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry. Of course you can't speak. Animals don't speak!" She laughed again and Sesshomaru growled louder. The child was beginning to infuriate him. Why hadn't she run for the hills? Why hadn't she fainted? Why did she not fear him?

"Well, I have to go. I will come back tomorrow and hopefully by then you will have stopped growling." She giggled. "Bye!" She waved excitedly and turned to skip back down the road, singing.

_ Kagome Kagome_

_The bird in the Cage_

_When, when will it come out?_

_In the dark time before daybreak._

_A crane and a tortoise slipped down._

_Who is right behind my back?_

Sesshomaru's eyes followed her until the light of the jar faded away and she disappeared into the dense forest. Only one thought crossed his mind:

She was the first human to walk of his forest alive…and he had let her…why?

**.0.**

**Yay! I finished! Alright tell me what you think! Isn't Kagome such a doll? **

**I would like to introduce you all to my beta! Drumroll please…**

**Thorn the Laughing Willow!**

**This gal is one of a kind and is in no way a tree! I love her! She does an awesome job giving me ideas and I would really like to thank her!**

**The Song Kagome was singing is not my own. I got it from the Inter-web. It is called 'Kagome Kagome'. Also, as you can see, I toned down the sexuality of this chapter. I wanted to sort of build a history between the two because it really doesn't make sense that Sesshomaru just finds Kagome and is all **'Oh she smells good! I wont kill her! Let me take her home and ravish her!'** Was this a good choice? **

**Review and let me know!**

**-Crims.**


	3. Chapter 3: Tale as old as Time

**Enjoy!**

—**Crims. **

**.0.**

"Kagome, dear? Its time to wake up."

Kagome turned away from the gentle nudge to her shoulder with a small moan. She heard a small, exasperated sigh before the quilt was ruthlessly swept off her body. The small girl sat upright with a shriek and clumsily swept the mess of dark **hair** from her forehead to glare at the woman standing before her, with hands at her sides and a scowl on her face. "Mama!"

"Mama!" The woman mocked. "Don't give me that tone. You know today is chore day." Kagome's mother wagged a disapproving finger at her daughter. Kagome released a long groan. Her mother's scowl deepened. "Well maybe if you hadn't come **home** so late, and _dirty_ for that matter, from those woods**,** you wouldn't have overslept. And I told you to stay away from that place." Her face softened with a sigh. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Kagome threw her a sheepish grin and wrung her hands together, something she did when she felt guilty. "I'm sorry. But I didn't think it seemed that dangerous mama, nothing bad happened. See? I'm alright." Kagome gestured at herself in what she hoped was in a reassuring way. Kagome mother sighed. "The most dangerous things don't always _seem_ dangerous, Kagome. Get dressed and come have breakfast, you have a long day ahead of you." Kagome nodded and watched as her mother left the room.

**.0.**

"Mama?" Kagome asked tentatively as she wove the needle and thread through her torn skirt. The older woman beside her spared her but a glance; the majority of her focus was on the quilt on her lap and the needle in her hand and mouth. "Hmm?"

"Why does everyone think the woods are so scary?" The question was cautious. Talk of the dark woods rarely left the lips of the villagers. But Kagome was too curious for her own good. Kagome's mother's hands stilled for a prolonged second before she sighed while taking the needle out from between her lips. "Kagome we do not speak of the woods. It is dangerous." Kagome didn't know if she meant that talking about the woods was dangerous or that the woods itself was dangerous. Perhaps both. But still Kagome wanted to know. "But why? Why is it dangerous?"

Kagome's mother smiled solemnly and her eyes suddenly looked forlorn. "Many people have ventured in those woods Kagome." Kagome smiled. "Then that means that its not dangerous right?" Her mother's eyes hardened. "Those people, Kagome, have never returned." Kagome gulped and leaned back. "B-but if they knew it was so dangerous, why did they go?"

"Because they did not know of the monstrosity that lives beyond those trees." Her mother's voice was clipped and almost seemed detached, but still Kagome pressed on. "But when I went, nothing happened. I think I even made a friend." Kagome's smile was wistful as she thought of the animal with the glowing red eyes. A forceful grip on her shoulders turned her attention back to her mother, who had the most fearful look in her eyes. "Kagome, promise me you will _never_ go into those woods for _whatever_ reason." Kagome's heart sank as she searched her mother's eyes.

"But I—"

"Promise me!"

Kagome sighed. "Alright. I won't ever go into those woods again." She shifted away from her mothers grip and returned to her work. Her mother did the same and an uncomfortable silence fell between the two.

"Why don't you go to Mr. Green's shop to see if he has any new books?" Her mother suggested. Kagome's face brightened considerably at the mention of books, and she nodded. Her mother handed her a couple of coins and sent her on her way.

The tall woman watched as the cottage door closed and her child disappeared. "The woods are no place to venture, Kagome…It is a lesson we all learn eventually. "

**.0.**

"Kagome, Kagome the bird in the cage…" The dark haired girl hummed as she walked down the rugged dirt road with a bounce in her step. She greeted the few people she knew as they passed, but most of them merely threw her half-hearted smiles or nods.

Kagome did not live far from the bookshop, so she was in front of the wooden doors of the old shop in a matter of minutes. With a push, the doors creaked open and the smell of aged leather and old paper filled her nose and Kagome released a content sigh. She stepped in the store and immediately started to search for Mr. Green. She went by bookshelves, checking behind and in front of each tall wooden frame for any sigh of the lanky man. It wasn't long till she found him sleeping on the floor, head lolled to the side and back leaning into a shelf.

Mr. Green was a red-haired, freckled-faced, tall man who loved books as much, if not more, than she did. He was the man who had taught her to read, write, and had introduced her to the world of books, or as he called them: "little devils that like to keep knowledge and works of art to themselves, only opening to those that can appreciate the secrets they hold".

Kagome poked his overly round glasses, his cheeks, and nose until he stirred. Sleepy brown eyes stared at her for some seconds before they widened and he scrambled to stand, hitting his head on a shelf, which further caused books to fall on his already bruised head. Kagome giggled as he rubbed his mop of red hair in pain.

"Good morning, Mr. Green." She greeted.

Mr. Green let out an embarrassed chuckle before staring warmly at the tiny girl. "H-hello Kagome. I see you're here for the new books."

"But of course! I _am _your best customer."

"That you are. Come, they are still in their packages." He cocked his head to the back of the store and Kagome ran off in the direction he had motioned to.

**.0.**

"Wow! You even have _The way the Wind Blows_! I've heard it's a good book." Kagome blue eyes widened in awe, as she held the big, white-leathered book up to further inspect it.

"From who? The only other person I know of that has read the book other than myself is—"

"My mother." Kagome said offhandedly as she flipped through the pages, oblivious to Mr. Green's reddening face. The larger man cleared his throat and pushed his glasses further up his nose. "H-how _is _Rose?"

Kagome stilled and slowly turned to face the man with a knowing grin splitting her cheeks. "Well." She answered vaguely.

"T-that's good to hear."

There was silence for a while as Kagome watched the red-haired man try to busy himself with work. "D-does she e-ever speak of me?" Kagome continued to stare. "N-nevermind. What a silly question to ask. D-don't mind me. I am merely ranting. I—"

"When are you going to tell my mother that you like her?" Kagome asked innocently. Mr. Green sputtered and dropped the books in his arms.

"I do not _like_ your mother! I…was merely curious." Kagome watched Mr. Green stare of into space. "You _do _like her!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not and that is final!"

Kagome glared at him, her red cheeks puffed with air and her lips pouted. "Fine. Be lonely for the rest of your life. I sure won't stop you." She crossed her arms and turned away with a stomp of her foot.

Mr. Green chuckled and ruffled her hair. "You are too stubborn for your own good. Here," He handed her the forgotten book she had stared so longingly at, "Why don't you keep this. No charge."

Kagome's blue eyes widened and she hugged the book to her small frame. "Really? You mean it? This isn't a trick. Because if it is, its not funny." Her yes narrowed in suspicion. The man chuckled. "Yes, really." Kagome's eyes widened and she launched herself at him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

After a brief moment of shock, Mr. Green chuckled and wrapped his long arms around her as well.

**.0.**

"Bye! Thank you for the book!" Kagome waved excitedly with one arm while she gripped her new book in the other. Mr. Green waved back but she was already running down the street.

Kagome hummed as she walked, her mood a little lighter and her steps peppier. She looked up to the sky to find that it was getting pretty late, which meant she had to hurry home for dinner.

The jingle in her pocket reminded her of her unspent money. Kagome stopped for a second to look around and she spotted a beggar at the corner of a local bar. She crossed the street and placed the coins in his tin can when she reached him. The man stared wide-eyed at the money—though small—and burst into tears. He clutched Kagome's skirt and buried his wet and dirty face in it as he cried. "Bless you, child! Oh, bless you!"

Kagome patted his nearly baldhead. "You're very welcome. Please spend it on some food and clothes. Do _not_ go into that bar! Okay?" She finished softly. The man nodded fiercely as tears and snot continued to roll down his face. He wiped them away with his stained sleeves and gave Kagome one last bow of gratitude and waved as she walked away.

**.0.**

He had not seen the girl in days, perhaps weeks, but their encounter was still fresh in his mind. He had not stepped outside of his castle since that day. Her Innocent, crystal blue eyes haunted his thoughts, and her scent lingered in his nose. He had never smelt something so free and untainted.

Sesshomaru stalked his castle irritable, hungry, and confused. His claws had shredded nearly all of the contents in his chambers, but his anger remained unappeased. A mere girl had escaped his grasp, and he had not stopped her! The very thought made him bared his fangs. He peered at his distorted image in the mirror and with a roar flung the object across the room and watched the shards scatter.

"Should you step into these woods again, girl, I will kill you. Your blood will coat my hands, and your pretense of purity will end with death." Golden eyes glowed as the darkness of his castle concealed the rest of his powerful frame, making him appear as the killer he was.

**.0.**

She was here, in his woods; in his _domain. _She had disregarded the signs. Signs painted with the blood of her kind. He could smell her. He could _feel_ her presence. She was singing the same song, taking the same road.

A cruel, sickening smile crossed his face. She had secured her fate. Her life was in his hands, and the thought of her blood coating his body filled him with glee.

The girl would die tonight.

**.0.**

Kagome was a curious girl. _Too curious, _some had told her_. _She even acknowledged the fact that her curiosity got the best of her at times. And as she walked down the forest path, book in hand, and surrounded by tall trees, she knew that this was one of those times.

It had been two moons since her last venture to the dark woods. She had tried to squelch the burning curiosity, but she was powerless to its lulls. Before she knew it, she had snuck out of her home so early in the morning that the sun wasn't even up, and she had found her way to the woods.

But she was not frightened. Instead, everything she spotted filled her with a sense of wonder. The woodland creatures had not bothered her so far, and she had not injured herself yet.

Kagome found the tree she had read under the last time she was in the woods, sat under it, and began to read.

**.0.**

Sesshoumaru watched, red eyes alert, as he observed the girl. She sat under the same tree, reading, and unaware of the danger that lurked above her. With a painful grunt, his bones began to reform under his thickening skin, his face began to elongate as well as his fangs and claws. White fur sprung from the pores on his body. His legs and arms repositioned themselves beneath him and his tail grew longer. The simple pants he wore tore under his enlarged hind legs.

This was his other half: the beast within him. And it wanted to _hunt. _

With a jerk of his head he howled and launched his weight at the unsuspecting girl.

**.0.**

Kagome sensed something was wrong the minute all noise in the forest ceased, and silence bathed the woods. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck and on her arms bristle.

The powerful howl from not far from where she was confirmed her assumptions: something was coming—something big. A sensible person would have run, another perhaps would have screamed. But Kagome simply said, "Mr. Animal? Is that you?"

A shriek of surprise escaped her throat when something large barreled into her from behind. She found herself staring up, wide-eyed, at the largest dog/wolf…thing, she had ever seen. Angry red eyes bore down at her with a cruel glint in them. Canines bigger than her forearm pressed dangerously close to her neck and claws dug into her stomach, nearly breaking skin.

"A-are you going to kill me?" Her response was a growl, and saliva dripped from the creature's fangs, and unto her neck.

"Why?" The growling stopped, almost as if the creature was shocked at her question. "I've done nothing to offend you, I think, so…why?"

**.0.**

He stared at her, and her large, curious, blue eyes stared back. _Why? _She had asked. Because she was a human; Because she had trespassed on his lands. _Why? _Because it was simply in his nature.

Her eyes still held no fear, just curiousness, confusion and grimaces of pain. Even with his teeth at her throat, she continued to look at him. Sesshomaru drew his massive head back and craned it. _You are strange. _His eyes narrowed. Was he to be bested by a girl who was not more than a fourth of his size? _No_. He growled. _She is to die._

Before he could rethink his decision, he sunk his teeth into her arm. A painful scream erupted from her throat as her sweet blood filled his mouth. She continued to scream even after he pulled away. He retracted himself from her form and watched as she scurried away from him, cradling her bloodied arm, face drenched in horror.

Her teary eyes faced him, and stared into his dark soul and filled him with something he did not recognize at first, but the burning in his chest told him what it was: guilt. Her pain had not brought him any of the satisfaction he had sought. It had instead filled him with guilt.

Her form writhed in pain; her small cries reached his ears as clear as the surface of her blood. He approached her cautiously, but when she moved away, he halted.

She rose on shaking legs and turned to face him. "I-I'm sorry." Was all she said before she took off running in the opposite direction, book forgotten, and with a trail of her blood in her wake.

**.0.**

Days had passed and Sesshomaru could still taste her blood on his tongue. He had not left the clearing since the girl's departure. He had only continued to stare at the road on which she had fled.

He did not expect her to come back. No sane human would. But on the sixth day, the small pitter-patter of feet caught his attention. It was she.

Her arm had been wrapped. Her face was pale and her feet bare. She looked unhealthy and frail—even more so than before.

Sesshomaru rose as she approached him and stared at him. He expected her to run away, or to attempt to harm him, but all she did was smile a weak smile and hold up a piece of meat. He stared at her with narrowed eyes.

"It's a peace offering. I'm sorry for whatever I did. I figured you were hungry and mistook me for food, so…here you go." Sesshomaru sniffed the meat and swallowed it before she had a chance to take it back. She smiled and he growled at her, but she did not back away.

He walked away and when he returned, he carried her book in his mouth and dropped it at her feet. She squealed, picked up the book, and dusted it off before throwing her arms around his neck, but they were too small to fully encase his neck. He pulled back at the feel of her touching his person. She giggled. "It's a hug silly." Once again she hugged him.

This time he did not pull back.

**.0.**

**Yay! Friendship! Dare I say that there is something there that wasn't there before? **

**Thanks for reading, and remember that reviews make the world go round!**

**Summer vacation is God-sent I tell you!**

**God bless!**

—**Crims.**


	4. Chapter 4: Strange

**Enjoy!**

**-Crims. **

**.0.**

Bitter.

The blood was bitter, tainted with the foul soul of the mutilated corpse beneath him. Sesshomaru could _taste _the shortcomings of the man; deceit was one of them. The fool had tried to bargain with him:

_Sesshomaru had just returned from his strange encounter with the small, human girl and chose to prowl within his castle as opposed to hunting. As luck would have it, his prey came to him. It was the best kind of prey: the ones that didn't know that they had walked into the territory of a predator. _

_He heard the front gates break and listened as footsteps wandered about until they came across what they had come for. _

_He heard a laugh, overjoyed…greedy, and the distinct clinking of precious metals and jewels. The young man had then confronted him in the great hall. Sesshomaru had been patiently waiting, knowing the man would seek him out._

"_So you are the famous beast. How befitting a title!" He laughed. "Honestly speaking, I am not here to take your head, although as you can see, I am well equipped to do so," The over confident man chuckled as he gestured to the weapons strapped to his body, "Instead I would like to take a burden off your shoulders. I noticed that you have no use for all of the…wealth you have acquired." The selfish gleam intensified in the man's eyes. "I will make you a deal: your riches, all of them, for my silence. I will be a rich man, and you can continue to live your life in these woods, undisturbed. Although if you should refuse," The man brandished a sword and grinned, " I will kill you and take everything you own. Either way, I will walk out of this Godforsaken place richer than when I walked in. Your answer?" _

_Sesshomaru ran his eyes over the man's body, observing him._

_Lean, Post adolescent, tall, greedy, lustful, and deceitful—all accurate descriptions. _

_His silent gaze unnerved the man, Sesshomaru could tell. _

"_Your answer?!" The man's stance had changed. No longer was it sanguine and sure. The young man had sensed the sudden, atmospheric change in the dark room. A bloody smile split from Sesshomaru's face and accompanied with glowing red eyes, it was enough to run the man's blood, cold. _

"_Take whatever you can carry." A simple command, but the very words felt heavier than the weapons strapped to his body. _

_Sesshomaru turned, and left, his body molding into the darkness as it welcomed him. _

_Somehow, the man knew, he _felt_, he should run. But his greed silenced his common sense brutally. _

_The man sheathed his sword and, ignoring Sesshomaru's order, unfolded his sack, ran to the room containing the treasures, and began grabbing whatever her could get his hands on. He had filled seven sacks by the time Sesshomaru appeared once again. _

_When Sesshomaru saw the immense stack of bulging sacks, he laughed mockingly. He knew it; greed always did cloud one's knowledge of his or her capabilities. _

"_One sack, or nothing." Sesshomaru said. The man's face reddened with fury as his lips brought themselves together and began sputtering. _

"_We had a deal!" He exclaimed. Sesshomaru's slanted with a sadistic glee, and the man's anger lodged in his throat, effectively silencing him. Sesshomaru turned and left._

_In frustration, the man ran a calloused hand through his hair and kicked the closest thing to him: a pile of gold coins. _

_Something caught his eye. It's dirty and poor state stood out against the brilliance of the gold. It was a sack, one that was at least thrice as big as any one of his. A laugh of triumph escaped his grinning lips and the man began to stuff the bag with three of his. He looked to the other four that lay by his feet, dissatisfied._

_His eyes surveyed the room, clouded with the prospect of riches and only seeing what could all be his._

_The riches taunted him, beckoned him. He could hear their voices: quiet, soft, and tempting. He could see himself, sitting in a throne like a king, as those lesser than him groveled at his feet, begging for just one coin. He heard himself laugh as the noble lords that sat at his table marveled at his wealth. He had placed his mountain of riches in the center of the room for all to worship. He had it all—power, money, glory—it was all his. _

_Then the man heard a laugh that was not his own penetrate his prophecy; a laugh that was not his own. A laugh that was…inhuman._

_Suddenly the merry music ceased and the illusionary scene turned dark, evil. The sweet wine that coated his tongue turned sour, like aged blood. The peasants at his feet rose like some kind of twisted dance. They're dirty faces became hollow: they're eyes, lips, and hair became black, their ragged clothes morphed into dark clothes. As one, as if controlled by some unknown force, they walked to him slowly and drew daggers from their hearts. The gold crown atop his head turned to lead and thorns. The silk and velvets that had clad his body became bloody. The great hall he had not to long ago been feasting in became a center of horrors. The walls bled and wept. The lords that had bathed him with praises began to slaughter one another. But none of these terrors could compare to the sight before him: the tower of gold that he had once worshipped melted an became a shimmering serpent, quickly devouring all in it's path, until all that stood in its path was him…_

_The man fell to his knees, clutched his head and screamed until the cords in his throat burst. He dropped the bag that he thought once contained his future, but now knew it only held death. The gold and jewels in the bag spilled at litter the floor. The man watched in frozen horror as the coins stood up on their own and began to slink towards him, up his, body, into his mouth, eyes, and nostrils. They whispered a dark lullaby to him, one that resounded in the depths of his mind: _"Greediness will kill you…consume you…prey…on…you…" Then a flurry of shriek-like laughter would follow, becoming louder with each repetition.

_And with each repetition, the man's sanity slipped from his control…_

_Sesshomaru stepped out of the darkness, silently joyfully and watched with as the young man mumble to himself. His mantra was: _

Gold.

Gold and Jewels.

Jewels and Gold.

Blood.

Blood is Gold

Blood…jewels

I see it all!

HELP ME!

"_I can help you." Sesshomaru cooed. Startled, the young man quickly stood on shaky legs and drew his sword._

_Sesshomaru stared at the weapon with little interest, before his gaze slid up to look into the man's half-crazed eyes. "Yes! Yes help me! I'm seeing things, h-hearing things! Horrible things! Unspeakable things! Help me!" The sword fell from his unsteady grip and with a heavy 'clang' that echoed throughout the room, fell to the floor. A pile of treasures by the man's feet toppled and brushed against his foot. The man screeched, grabbed the sword, and began to attack all the treasure in his sight with a maddened ferocity._

_Sesshomaru placed a deceptively calming hand on the man's shoulder. Immediately, he relaxed and once again dropped the sword. _

"_I can take all of your fears away. I can make it all go away." Sesshomaru whispered. It was almost awe-inspiring how a mouth that was made to rip apart flesh produced a voice that had the ability to piece what was left of the man's mind together. The man nodded numbly, and just like that, his will faded away, as his lucidity had. _

_Sesshomaru placed a claw in the juncture that attached the man's ear to his head, and sliced. _

_The man howled a terrified scream and attempted to flee, but it was already to late. Sesshomaru had captured his prey. _

"_With this, you can no longer hear."_

_The same claws brushed against the man's eyes, and as his victim choked on his fear, the venomous tips sunk into the man's sockets and stayed there, letting the poising seep into his skull. The man's screams verified something for Sesshomaru. It reassured him that he was still the same twisted soul he had always been, even if the girl was the complete opposite. _

"_You can no longer see, nor hear." Sesshomaru crooned. His claws digging deeper into the man's skull until he reached the brain. _

_The man was paralyzed, his mobility severed, but he still felt everything, each second more excruciating than the next. _

"…" _His lungs were silent. His screams went unheard. But Sesshomaru understood. _"Please…Let me live…" _It was always their last attempt to life, to sanity. Sesshomaru would always deny them both. _

"_Greediness will kill you…consume you…but _I _preyed on you…" Sesshomaru dragged his claws out of the man's head, drew them across the earless sides and finally released the man. He fell to the ground with a wet 'thud'. _

_Sesshomaru watched as the dying man convulsed beneath him. Sesshomaru licked the blood that had dripped down his arms and frown. "You are…bitter." The man didn't respond. _

_He raised a weak, bloody finger to the monster that stood above him. "…," He said before the gift that was his life left his body. Sesshomaru understood. _

**.0.**

_I curse you. _

That had been the man's last, unspoken declaration.

Sesshomaru could not think of anything more befitting.

**.0.**

Kagome stared at her mothers back, apprehensive. When she'd returned from the woods with her injury, her mother had been hysterical, and had promptly forbade Kagome from stepping a foot into the woods ever again, after a series of motherly I-told-you-so's. But Kagome had been determined to make amends with her now new friend and had wondered off again. When she came back, she had expected an earful of scolding and an inhumane amount of punishment and chores. She got nothing. Not anything in the sense that her mother didn't scold her, but literally nothing. Her mother did not speak a word to her, and no amount of pleading and apologies from Kagome had changed that in the two days after she had returned. Kagome was getting desperate. She loved her mother and they had always been each other's strongest support, now she felt like they were two distant people who happen to live in the same house.

Sure she had broken her promise, but the severe silent treatment was more than she could bear.

"Mama, please! I'm sorry; I'll never do it again! Please, say something." Kagome begged as she clung to her mother's skirt while the older woman washed the dishes.

She was brutally ignored. Fed up and frustrated, Kagome dropped the skirt, picked up the nearest plate and flung it as hard as she could, without aggravating her arm, across the small kitchen. The loud crash broke the tense silence for a moment only.

Kagome's mother set down the wet plate and cloth in her hand and turned to look at her angry daughter with flattened lips and steely eyes.

"I'm very disappointed in you Kagome." Her mother said and walked across the room and began to pick up the shards.

Kagome's face fell and the anger left her, replaced by sadness.

"Mama, I'm—"

"Go to your room. I cant bare to look at you right now." Rose said with her back facing her daughter and the result was a broken-hearted Kagome. When rose realized how harsh the words were, she turned to apologize, but it had been to late. Kagome had fled the room, and shortly after, the house. Rose heard the slamming of the door and quickly rushed after her daughter, the broken shards abandoned.

"Kagome!"

**.0.**

She ran blindly, never stopping no matter how many times she fell and scraped her knew. Her heart hurt more. She had broken her mother's trust and now, the one person who she had left didn't love her anymore. It was all her fault. She should have stayed away from those stupid woods!

Kagome had run into the village square without realizing it and before long, she was lost. Breathing heavily and sobbing, she stopped running and curled in on herself on the street, not caring whether or not a cart or animal of some kind would trample her. She cried and cried until her eyes were dry and her head had begun to hurt. She sat up and realized it was dark. There was no one else around except a group of unknown men, mostly likely drunk, standing in in front of a closed bar, eyeing her.

Kagome was suddenly frightened. When they began walking towards her, she ran. They followed.

Her heart beat in unsteady tremors, parts of her body began to break out in sweat, and her lungs couldn't hold out for much longer.

She ran through the village blindly, the group of men laughing and crashing into things rambunctiously as they ran after her.

Suddenly she remembered her mother's words: _'Many people have ventured into those woods…those people, Kagome, have never returned.'_

'_Of course!' _ Kagome thought joyously and headed for the woods; positive that the men would not dare follow her there for fear that they would never return.

She was right. The minute the woods came into view, the men slowed their chase with trepidation. The sight of the towering trees and signs written in blood seemed to slap them out of their drunken stupor. They quickly stilled their chase and looked to each other with fearful eyes.

Kagome stopped at the entrance of the woods, turned to face the men with a challenging grin, and bolted through the trees.

**.0.**

She was in danger.

Sesshomaru could smell the foreboding sense of malice that followed the girl. The hairs on his body stood on end and his muscled coiled in anticipation. Something was chasing Kagome. Something dark, disgusting dared to pose a threat to something so pure.

_Unacceptable._

Sesshomaru dropped the heavy flesh he had been fisted on and roared. The moon seemed to shine brighter as if it too was imbued with fury.

Sesshomaru did not realize he had shifted until he stopped his reflection in the blood of his victim, and he sneered in a way that was meant to be a vicious smile.

**.0.**

No matter how fast he ran Sesshomaru felt as if he couldn't run fast enough. He could smell the girl's fear. It was more pungent than the blood that painted his fur. He felt agitated, like he had no control, and that did not sit well with him. He needed control. He wanted to revel in the blood of whoever was foolish enough to challenge him, to endanger Kagome.

Her scent was closer now. She had begun to run closer to the woods. Sesshomaru knew she was seeking him. And find him she shall.

Sesshomaru was not opposed to kill in front of her. She would understand what he truly was, then. She would know exactly _what _she had _befriended. _

Kagome was only a few strides away. She was running towards him. He was running towards her.

"Mr. Animal!" She called.

**.0.**

She crashed into something and was sent spiraling to the ground. The pounding in her head intensified and she groaned.

Something growled back. She sat up quickly with a tired smile.

"Mr. Animal! You came!" She clapped and threw her arms around his neck; her arms and hands came into contact with something cold and wet. In the darkness, she did not know it was blood…

Sesshomaru immediately stood in front of her when she released him, red eyes narrowed and body crouched.

"I don't think…they…followed me…too scared." She chuckled. She knew what he was looking for, just not how he had known she was in danger. Sesshomaru surveyed the area before he turned to look at her.

The injuries, that were not cause by him, were minor, he noticed as he surveyed her frail frame. Her hair had become disheveled and her breathing was labored and strained. She was tired, he noticed, before her blue eyes closed and she slumped forward. Sesshomaru shifted just in time to catch her.

It was the first time he's held her with his humanoid form, and it felt different…more intimate. His overheated body was enough to withstand the dense chill of the night so he wrapped himself around after he had laid her on the floor. He watched over her as she slept, but didn't heal her wounds. The little drops of blood seeping from her wounds were not his to heal. He hadn't caused them.

He simply watched over her until the sun replaced the moon and she began to stir. He could hear the voices from the border calling for her. Her family, most likely.

He wanted to spend time with her, see her wake, but he wanted his forest free of search parties more. So he carried her to the border and dropped her there. He stayed in the trees until someone came across her body. But it wasn't until she was handed over to her mother, a _strange_ looking woman, was he sure of her safety and retreated back to his fortress.

He had rid his body of blood before he stood in his room; thinking about the woman Kagome had been given to.

_Familiar…that woman…strange indeed…_

**.0.**

**Yes, I'm planning something…**

**-Crims.**

**God Bless. **


End file.
